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Download the 2009 CR Review PDF 6.73MB - Tesco PLC

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“noW, MoRE than EvER,<br />

is thE tiME to shoW<br />

LEadERshiP, suPPoRtinG<br />

ouR custoMERs and<br />

ouR staff as thEY facE<br />

chaLLEnGinG EconoMic<br />

ciRcuMstancEs, and<br />

tacKLinG thE issuEs that<br />

MattER to coMMunitiEs<br />

and sociEtY.”<br />

Go online! To see our full ‘Every Little Helps’ strategy<br />

visit www.tesco.com/about-us/strategy<br />

used each week compared to August<br />

2006. In June, <strong>Tesco</strong> Malaysia became<br />

<strong>the</strong> first country outside <strong>the</strong> UK to launch<br />

green Clubcard points to help customers<br />

use fewer carrier bags, issuing over 14,000<br />

points in <strong>the</strong> first week of <strong>the</strong> reward<br />

scheme. We also now reward customers<br />

in South Korea for reusing <strong>the</strong>ir bags and<br />

for cycling to our stores.<br />

Over <strong>the</strong> past year we became <strong>the</strong><br />

first major retailer in <strong>the</strong> world to carbon<br />

label products. We have now labelled<br />

100 products in <strong>the</strong> UK and Ireland,<br />

and have many more in <strong>the</strong> pipeline.<br />

South Korea is also starting carbon<br />

labelling this year.<br />

The Sustainable Consumption Institute<br />

(SCI) which we established with a<br />

£25 million commitment to <strong>the</strong> University<br />

of Manchester is beginning to bear fruit,<br />

tackling some of <strong>the</strong> many questions<br />

about how to make a consumer society<br />

sustainable. In addition to making a<br />

number of senior academic appointments,<br />

<strong>the</strong> SCI last year welcomed its first tranche<br />

of post-doctoral students from around <strong>the</strong><br />

world – sustainability leaders of <strong>the</strong> future.<br />

The SCI is committed to publishing its<br />

research findings on an open access basis.<br />

We are acutely aware that recessions<br />

create hardship for many families and<br />

communities. Our customers do not just<br />

spend less, <strong>the</strong>y worry more. People can<br />

feel more isolated or vulnerable in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

communities, and can be concerned<br />

that civic values and neighbourliness<br />

are less prevalent than <strong>the</strong>y used to be.<br />

Our success is built on our ability to listen<br />

to our customers, and to anticipate and<br />

respond to changes in society. We are<br />

listening carefully to our staff and our<br />

customers in this recession, and are<br />

making sure we support <strong>the</strong> causes<br />

that matter to <strong>the</strong>m. Our Community<br />

Champions are our strongest expression<br />

yet of our investment in communities.<br />

We now have Community Champions<br />

in 65 stores and five distribution centres<br />

in <strong>the</strong> UK, each working with local<br />

schools, charities and services, as well as<br />

in our stores in China, <strong>the</strong> Czech Republic,<br />

Malaysia, Slovakia and South Korea.<br />

I am proud that in a year where many<br />

businesses have dramatically reduced<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir community investment, <strong>Tesco</strong> has<br />

donated over £57 million to local causes<br />

and communities.<br />

I believe this investment in communities<br />

is what our staff and customers expect –<br />

it reflects <strong>the</strong>ir instincts and <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

behaviours. Indeed, in <strong>the</strong>se very difficult<br />

economic times, <strong>the</strong>y have <strong>the</strong>mselves<br />

shown unparalleled energy and<br />

generosity, breaking all records to raise<br />

over £6 million for our UK Charity of<br />

<strong>the</strong> Year, Marie Curie Cancer Care.<br />

In a year where many people have been<br />

deeply worried about losing <strong>the</strong>ir jobs,<br />

we have created new jobs and invested<br />

in our people. Through our regeneration<br />

partnerships, we are continuing to bring<br />

many long-term unemployed people<br />

back into work, giving hope not just<br />

to individuals but to <strong>the</strong> communities<br />

in which <strong>the</strong>y live and work.<br />

COMMUNITY<br />

The financial and economic crisis has hit<br />

<strong>the</strong> developing world hard. For developing<br />

countries, international trade is more<br />

vital than ever. This last year has seen<br />

us make good progress on our ethical<br />

trading standards, growing our expertise<br />

on labour standards and streng<strong>the</strong>ning<br />

our audit and training work. And, through<br />

<strong>the</strong> SCI we are working hard to understand<br />

<strong>the</strong> best contribution we can make<br />

to sustainable development through<br />

our relationship with our international<br />

supply base.<br />

There will be more challenging times<br />

ahead. But good businesses relish<br />

challenging times. We know that our<br />

customers and <strong>the</strong>ir communities depend<br />

on us more than ever. And we know that<br />

if we fulfil <strong>the</strong>ir needs – not just in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

homes but in <strong>the</strong>ir communities and in<br />

broader society – <strong>the</strong>y will repay us with<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir custom and <strong>the</strong>ir loyalty.<br />

This understanding is, I believe, at <strong>the</strong><br />

heart of a sustainable business.<br />

Terry Leahy Chief Executive<br />

3<br />

<strong>Tesco</strong> <strong>PLC</strong> Corporate Responsibility Report <strong>2009</strong>

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